New ride..and new TV show..


rodney mcgiveron

rodney mcgiveron

Member
rear end xr6.jpgdash xr6.jpgG'day all..Check this out _my xr6.jpgThis is my Lightning Strike silver FG XR6 Ford Falcon..I've wanted one for so long it's not funny and why I've not been Foruming in the past 2-3 weeks..I also joined the FPV Tickford and XR Club of Tasmania..This is 4.0 litres Inline 6 with the ZF 6 speed sports shift. The Ford Falcon finally winds up in Australia this year after 56 continuous years of the marque..and is really sad.. The final run of the FGX sold out before they were even built..I also have a 2001 series ll AU falcon as well..This one is 2009...Love it I do..
No wisecracks please about the steering wheel on the wrong side It is on the 'right' side actually..Literally...
If Discovery Channel shows Railroad Australia on pay TV in the U.S. WATCH IT...It's really , really good as my Aussie compatriots will attest if they've seen it. I hope it does get aired outside OZ...Cheers Rod..
 
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Nice looking car! And a straight six instead of a V6? Is it rear wheel drive and fuel injected?

I for one would love to see Railroad Australia. I like the trains you have there. Plus a chance to see some of the scenery.
 
G'day Bob ,Our Falcon is iconic here..There have been 24 models in 56 years..In 1970 Ford U.S. dropped the Falcon and in 1972 , the first Australian design happened..Until then it was the same as the American car..First Aussie one was the 1972 XA, followed by XB made famous by (Mad Max) then after that following models have been XC , XD , XE, XF , EA , EB, ED, EF, EL, AU , BA, BF, FG and this past two years FGX..Mine is FG and was built between 2008 and 2014..Mine is a 2009... Yes it is a straight 6 , all Falcons have been either straight 6's or V8's but in the last few years there has been a few ECO Boost 2 litre turbocharged as well..My car is 3984 cc or about 250 c.i...develops 195 kw or about 265 hp..Best thing though is torque..which matches most V8's..Very strong..and surprisingly economical combined cycle around 30 mpg..It's known as the Barra 4.0 litre engine..Everybody loves it..Super reliable.most will see 500,000 kms or well over 300,000 miles without engine needing a rebuild I know of 800,000 kms no unheard of..In standard form it's 0-60 in around 6.7 seconds , my XR-6 is one of these (No turbo) and the incredible turbo 6 ..is under 5.5 seconds or under 5 seconds with flash tune ..Over the standing quarter mile , none of the V8's can match it...time after time..It is indeed rear wheel drive..all real cars should be and multi-point fuel injected..Our V8's are 302 supercharged Coyote 5.0 litre the same as the Mustang..but we've also had 5.4 litre Boss engines , 5.6 litre Tickford stroker engines , the Famous 5.8 litre 351 c.i.. and others in 56 years..The American Ford V6 was in development too but Ford announced in 2013 that our stand alone Ford Falcon would be pensioned off in 2016..in favour of a Global Platform Car Program...Stuff them i say because the Falcon is just wonderful..By the way North Americans see our car on You Tube and comments just keep coming.."why can't we have this car in America " or "I want one" etc..I love both of mine..I'm glad you like it too. Here's a review of the same model I have except this is the turbo everything else the same though pretty much Enjoy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rxw5LZ6_DMQ .Cheers Rod..
 
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G'day back..It certainly is a top notch series..I've been recording each episode..I hope our American friends see it at some stage too..on the Discovery Network...Cheers Rod..
 
Nice ride Rodney.

Whenever a manufacturer got a good car on the market that becomes popular, for some reason, they discontinue it. The Holden has been around for years and I have heard that they may be continuing it. A woman who works with us nad a Pontiac G-8 , which is basically a Holden and it is a rocket and a great looking car. The Chevy SS has now taken over the car, which is the Holden. Wasn't it a staple in the Super Car series over there ?
 
Funny, our family had a 1964 Falcon, but it ended up being too small when my sister was born, so we swapped it for a Ranchero and a Galaxy 500. That was the "rocket" style body year. This one looks a lot like the Focus of a few years ago.
 
G'day Iron Horseman...No disrespect to Focus..but it is a much more substantial vehicle..Our Australian conditions demand cars that can cope with all sorts of stuff..bad country roads to main highways..45 plus celcius temps to well below freezing..Over time the Ford Falcon has earned a huge reputation for it's toughness..extreme reliability..etc..My friend has a new Focus..last years model and I am not kidding ..not a patch on a Falcon..Front Wheel Drive only..not for me..The FGX (latest and last version) shares the design elements of the Ford Global look including Focus , Fusion , Mustang etc though..Mine doesn't...This is the FGX https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGTAJMwFP20 released in 2015..Cheers Rod..
 
G'day Chet..Too true..Unfortunately our Falcon is the victim of Globalisation , pure and simple..and cheap imports from Asia too. In the late 1990's the import tariffs were gradually removed and cheap Chinese , Korean cars flooded the market with little SUV's especially ..
These cars impacted severely on Ford , GM and Toyota who built quality cars so much so that Ford had no choice but to announce in 2013 that the FGX Falcon would be the final run of a car we all grew up with since 1960..Then soon after GM (Holden) announced that 2017 would see the end for them and Toyota are pulling out too..So after 2017 there will be no cars at all built in Australia and our pathetic politicians SHOULD BE ASHAMED..Their Free Trade policy has led to this..Disgraceful...On rail topics...RAILROAD AUSTRALIA is currently on Discovery..Take a tip from me and if it's aired in the USA ..watch it...It's REALLY REALLY GOOD.. Americans especially will have a genuine affinity for the show because of Australia's massive similarity with US Rail...This show features some of our lesser known networks as well as mainstream..I hope they're making a second series..Cheers Rod..
 
Nice ride Rod, congrats on finally snagging one!
A friend had an older two-door Ford Falcon wagon years back.
When we were kids we cut the back top off and created our own Ranchero.
The car still sits in the bush last I looked just a few miles from here, right where we ran out of gas!
 
As Rod said, all our manufacturing of cars etc will be gone by next year, but the brands will carry on, all imported and re-badged, so the end of the Aussie built RWD platforms. Just how this will effect the V8 Supercars series, not sure. It has always been a bit disappointing to me, basically the same cars with a different body on top. Nissan and Mercedes have been involved of late and I'm not aware of any Nissan RWD cars that are on the market. Gone are the days when brands were matched against brands based on production platforms and you could compare how each handled and performed against each other. I think I read somewhere that even in the Indianapolis racing, Honda became the official engine builder of V8's for those cars. Honda has never produced a production car with a V8. 3,4,5 and V6, but never a V8. Weird.
 
G'day Toot...Long time , no talk...My dad had both..He had Fords and then last car he had was a 1976 Kingswood HX...with the 202..
He never said to me "You're not taking the Kingswood , I just shampoo-ed the air cleaner " I bought a Morris 1100 and since then I've had..Ford Escort , VC Commodore , Ford Telstar , Ford XE Falcon , EF Falcon , AU Falcon (Still got her) briefly a BA Fairmont Ghia...and now the FG XR6....Have you been watching Railroad Australia..If you don't use Foxtel , I reckon it'll be on IView later on..One way or the other you'll love it..Great show... Cheers Rod..
 
Very nice looking new wheels there. I had no idea Ford came out with this new Falcon. Pretty sweet lookin.

But one problem... the steering wheel is on the wrong side! j/k (sorry couldn't resist)
 
Motley said:
Very nice looking new wheels there. I had no idea Ford came out with this new Falcon. Pretty sweet lookin.

But one problem... the steering wheel is on the wrong side! j/k (sorry couldn't resist)
Click to expand...

No, you're wrong, it IS on the right side.

Ford, unlike GM Holden, never exported/imported any of the Aussie built Falcons into the US, or anywhere else in the world apparently, apart from NZ and the south Pacific. They were truly unique to the region, although following US design and styling. Didn't want them competing with local product.
 
G'da Rico...Ford Australia never had a station wagon in 2 door , only 4 door so it was obviously before 1970 as Falcon in the US was discontinued then...We kept the Falcon and in 1972 the XA was born..totally Aussie design..I'll have to look up about Ranchero ..Heard the name..Thanks for the compliment..Looks good , drives better..Cheers Rod..
 
G'day Toot...as we both know "on the right side "...absolutely literally...I have never had a chance to drive a LHD car...but it must be strange to begin with as it would be the other way round...I often wonder how Falcon would have gone if 're-introduced' in the USA.. The famous Mustang originated from the Falcon...so here's it in word maths...USA + AUS - USA = AUS + NZ + SP + SA = AUS recurring 56 years..+ other countries minus 56 years depending on country..Toot ..Did you know New Zealand had a Ford Factory too to build the same cars and some of the most passionate Falcon owners are Kiwi's..Also Christchurch (Team Hutchinson Ford ) do great little videos of the cars Watch this one from last year...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLkkU1kauiQ Go Falcon...Cheers Rod
 
There were several brands assembled in NZ, but none actually manufactured whole vehicles from raw materials i.e. press-shops for panels or casting and machining of engines etc. All came is as CKD (completely knocked down), body panels were already formed and mechanical parts assembled into their units. Local content included glass, tires, rubber moldings, some upholstery and sometimes alternative grilles/badges to give dealers different models. Ford NZ produced a unique Cortina on the Mk2 model, badged GTE (Grand Touring Executive), it combined the specs of the GT with a luxury interior
http://www.waimakclassiccars.co.nz/cars/184-Ford-Cortina-MK2-GTE.html . I worked in the Morris assembly plant in Newmarket, Auckland for 6 years after I finished my metal working apprenticeship, started off assembling the bodies for the old Minor 1000, then the 1100 (we had an Aus built one with the front bench seat as a prototype to pull apart, NZ had the buckets) and I was there for the Mini as well. The transition from the Minor to the 1100 and especially the Mini was a shock to us welders, the Minor was thought to be tinny, the later ones like tissue paper.

All the brands of English and Australian had assembly plants in different parts of the country, having workers in work meant something different then.
 
G'day Rico...Very nice....(Ranchero)...That's what we call a "Ute" said like this "Yoot"..short for utility..I had a YT look at a '69 Ranchero ..Why didn't they keep building them ? They were really popular here.until fairly recently .Check out a modern one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxFl3QTYVyE This is one done off a Falcon base..Cheers Rod..
 
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G'day Toot and all Thanks for the link .very very tidy gold Cortina..Actually looks a lot like a 66-67 XRGT Falcon ..same sort of lines. and that shade of gold is the same I'm sure .The kiwi version is really nice indeed. For our US friends Ford Australia's first GT was in 1966 It was the XR model that featured the 289 c.i V8 Before that the sporty engine was the 170c.i. straight 6 called the Pursuit engine or Sprint The XW and XY GT featured the famous 351 c.i not sure exactly when the equally famous 302 c.i motor was used but I know the XC Cobra had it..but that wasn't a GT ..Toot.. .Re Team Hutchison Ford..in Christchurch..Do you know of them..Just curious...Cheers Rod..
 
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G'day Motley...Long time not talk to you...Appreciate the kind comment..This is the previous model ...it's seven years old..The 4.0 litre engine is awesome..I don't think the US has anything like it these days..Absolutely 'bulletproof'..The DOHC 24 valve version has been around since 2002... and the turbo version is unbelievably good..It's tragic it was never exported ..Equally good is the American V8 Coyote 5.0 litre supercharged in the Falcon too that matches the Chevrolet powered Holden (GM) Commodore..That's the 6.2 litre LS3 engine..The Aussie developed DOHC straight 6 is called the 'Barra' engine.. and will be sadly missed when Falcon finishes late this year..after being continuously sold since 1960...56 years in all .... Cheers Rod..
 
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